1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a head-protection airbag device mounted in vehicles.
2. Description of Related Art
This type of head-protection airbag devices includes a head-protection airbag device in which an airbag stored along a roof side rail has a gas-introducing path at its upper edge. A gas is supplied from a gas supplier into an inflation chamber through a gas distribution pipe provided within the gas-introducing path, whereby the airbag is inflated and deployed like a curtain along the sidewall of the vehicle compartment so as to protect a head of an occupant. Such a head-protection airbag device is described in, e.g., International Publication No. 98/22313 and Japanese Laid-Open Publication Nos. 11-301394 and 11-314555.
In the aforementioned conventional head-protection airbag device, gas outlets of the gas distribution pipe are oriented in the same direction with respect to the inflation chamber of the airbag. It is therefore impossible to deploy each portion of the airbag (e.g., the portions respectively corresponding to a door glass portion and a pillar garnish portion) in an optimal direction. Moreover, a reduction in the time for completion of deployment of the airbag has been required in such a head-protection airbag device. Thus, there is a need for an improved head-protection airbag device in these respects.